Life Just Changed? Keep or Get Your Health Coverage
A new job, a baby, a marriage, a move, a divorce, or losing Medicaid can each open a short window to enroll in or switch coverage, usually 60 days. Tell us what happened and get your specific next step, your deadline, and the cheapest way through.
What just changed?
Pick what happened and get your next step and deadline. Nothing is saved.
Not sure what you qualify for now? The screener checks Medicaid, subsidies, and more in a minute.
Use the screenerLost job coverage: COBRA vs Marketplace vs Medicaid
This is the decision people most often get wrong. Defaulting to COBRA can cost thousands more than you need to pay. Here is the honest comparison:
COBRA
Keeps your exact plan and doctors, but you pay the full premium yourself (often $600 to $2,000+ a month, plus up to 2%). You have 60 days to elect it, and it lasts up to 18 months.
Marketplace plan
A 60-day Special Enrollment Period lets you buy a new plan, usually much cheaper once subsidies apply, and your subsidy is often larger now that your income dropped. You may switch doctors or networks.
Medicaid
If your income is now low enough, Medicaid can cover you for free or nearly free, with no enrollment deadline. Worth checking first, before you commit to COBRA.
Compare your actual options in a minute, the screener estimates your Marketplace subsidy and checks Medicaid.
Use the screenerWhich life events open an enrollment window?
These are the common qualifying events and what to do for each. Most give you 60 days from the event; Medicaid and CHIP have no window, you can apply any time.
Lost or leaving a job
Deadline: 60 days from the day your coverage ends to pick a Marketplace plan (and 60 days to elect COBRA).
Losing job-based coverage opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period. Here is the comparison most people never get: COBRA keeps your exact plan but you pay the full premium yourself (often $600 to $2,000+ a month). A Marketplace plan is usually far cheaper once subsidies apply, especially now that your income has dropped. And if your income is low enough, Medicaid may cover you for free, with no deadline at all. Compare all three before defaulting to COBRA.
Had a baby or adopted
Deadline: 60 days from the birth, adoption, or foster placement. Coverage can be backdated to that date.
A new child opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period, and coverage can be backdated to the day of birth or placement, so add them promptly. Your newborn may also qualify for Medicaid or CHIP even if you do not, since children's income limits are much higher. Watch for surprise delivery or NICU bills too, those are often disputable.
Got married
Deadline: 60 days from your marriage date.
Marriage opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period to enroll or combine plans. Two things to check: your subsidy is now based on your combined household income (which can move it up or down), and you can each keep a separate plan or move onto one. Run the numbers both ways before deciding.
Divorced or separated
Deadline: 60 days from when you lose coverage (for example, coming off a spouse's plan).
Divorce or separation by itself is not always a qualifying event, but losing coverage because of it (for example, coming off a spouse's plan) opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period. Your household size and income for subsidies change too, so re-check what you qualify for. Make sure any children stay covered, they may now qualify for Medicaid or CHIP.
Moved to a new home
Deadline: 60 days from your move, if it changes the plans available to you.
Moving to a new ZIP code, county, or state can open a 60-day Special Enrollment Period, but usually only if you had health coverage for at least one day in the 60 days before you moved (a move only for medical care does not count). A move can also change your Medicaid eligibility, since Medicaid is run by each state, so re-check in your new state.
Turned 26 / off a parent’s plan
Deadline: 60 days from when you lose the parent’s-plan coverage.
Turning 26 (or otherwise aging off a parent’s plan) opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period. On your own income you likely qualify for subsidies, and a Marketplace or Medicaid plan is often very affordable at a young adult’s income. A lower-premium catastrophic plan is also an option under 30.
Lost Medicaid or CHIP
Deadline: You get a Special Enrollment Period after losing Medicaid/CHIP; if it was a paperwork loss, you may be able to appeal and be reinstated (often within about 90 days) without a new application.
If you lost Medicaid or CHIP, you get a Special Enrollment Period to move to a Marketplace plan, and many people qualify for a low-cost or near-free plan. But if you think you were dropped for a paperwork reason (a missed renewal or a form the state never got), you may be able to appeal and have Medicaid reinstated, often without starting over. Check both paths.
Got a bill from a coverage gap?
Enrolling and switching plans is free, and free navigators can help (LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov). Where CareRoute helps is the bill: if a gap in coverage left you with a medical bill, send it to us and we will review and negotiate it. Free to submit, you only pay if we save you money.
Send us the billFree to submit. You only pay if we save you money.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Special Enrollment Period (SEP)?
Outside the yearly Open Enrollment period, you can only sign up for or change a Marketplace health plan if you have a "qualifying life event," such as losing coverage, having a baby, getting married, divorcing with a loss of coverage, moving, or aging off a parent's plan. That event opens a Special Enrollment Period, usually 60 days, to enroll. Medicaid and CHIP are different: you can apply for those any time of year.
I lost my job. Is COBRA or a Marketplace plan better?
It depends, but many people overpay by defaulting to COBRA. COBRA lets you keep your exact plan, but you pay the entire premium yourself (often $600 to $2,000+ a month). A Marketplace plan is frequently much cheaper once premium subsidies are applied, and your subsidy is usually larger now that your income has dropped. If your income is low enough, Medicaid may cover you for free with no deadline. Compare all three; our screener estimates your Marketplace and Medicaid options.
How long do I have to act after a life event?
For most qualifying events you have 60 days from the event to enroll in or change a Marketplace plan. For losing job-based coverage, you generally also have 60 days to elect COBRA. Missing the window can mean waiting until the next Open Enrollment, so act early. Medicaid and CHIP have no window, you can apply any time.
I just had a baby. What do I need to do?
Having a baby opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period, and coverage for the baby can be backdated to the date of birth, so add your newborn promptly. Your child may also qualify for Medicaid or CHIP even if you do not, because children's income limits are much higher. And if you receive a large delivery or NICU bill, it is worth having it reviewed, hospital bills often contain errors and are negotiable.
Does CareRoute charge for this?
No. This tool and our coverage guides are free, and free navigators can also help you enroll. CareRoute earns money on Bill Defense, where we review and negotiate a medical bill you already have, and only if we save you money. We never charge you to enroll in coverage.
Related
Sources & references
A general note: these deadlines and rules hold for most people, but there are edge cases, and details can change. Treat this as a strong starting point, then confirm your specific situation and dates with HealthCare.gov, your state Medicaid agency, or your plan before you rely on it. This is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Last updated: August 2026.